DirecTV's DVR interface has come a long way. Guide data scrolls fairly quickly, recordings are a snap to set up and a nifty folder structure keeps recorded fare neatly organized by program title. Unless I missed it, it is somewhat annoying that the “List” of recorded content always defaults to showing the latest recordings on top. I prefer to see my recordings alphabetically by program title and then drill down to find a specific date. You can display your List this way, but it doesn’t appear as though you can set it as a permanent preference. Another minor nuisance is the inability to push “Up” at the top of a menu list and have it jump to the bottom.
The remote control for the HR21-Pro is excellent with intuitive button layout, a pleasing texture,backlighting, and it can work in either IR or RF mode. Once I configured it for RF duty, the receiver responded fairly well through a closed cabinet door.
If you’re considering a move to DirecTV, their high def channel offerings are among the best of what’s out there. At press time, the Plus HD DVR Package was delivering 35 national HD channels plus locals in HD where available.
Picture and sound quality from the HR21-Pro is in keeping with what you get from their other digital receivers. That is to say, most channels look great though some do look better than others. My wife watches a lot of HGTV HD which looks crisp and colorful with minimal artifacting. Personally, I enjoy just about anything on Discovery Channel’s HD Theater and I’ve also become quite addicted to Robert Wilonsky’s “Ultimate Trailer Show” on HDNet.
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